Pitchfork made of pressed sheet metal.



I. SZALAI. I PITOHFORK MADE OP'PRESSED SHEET METAL APPLICATION FILED KAY19, 1909. 9 7,354, Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

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I. SZALAI. PITOHI'ORK MADE OF PBBSSBD SHEET METAL.

AIPLIOA'I'IOH rnnn HAY 19,1909.

967,854. w Patented Aug. 16,1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IG-NAC SZALAI, OF ZALA-S ZENT-GROTI-I, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, .ASSIGNOR TO THEFIRM OF VOGEL & NOOT, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

PITGHFORK MADE OF PRESSED SHEET METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Application filed May 19, 1909. Serial No. 497,078.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IoNAo SZALAI, subject of the King of Hungary,residing at Zala- Szent-Groth, in Austria-Hungary, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Pitchforks Made of Pressed Sheet Metal,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pitchfork, the prongs of which are made ofseparate pressed sheet-metal pieces and are connected with the rearportion of the pitchfork which is equally made of a separate piece ofsheet metal. By this method a light and durable article is manufacturedand by favorably shaping the cross-section of the prongs the dimensionsof the pitchfork can be kept essentially below those of the pitch forkshitherto made chiefly of wood and which are therefore fragile, easilyshrinking and splitting.

The method by which the improved pitchforks are manufactured consists instamping from a metal plate, preferably a steel plate of suitablethickness blanks corresponding in their shape to that of the separateprongs and of the rear portion of the pitchfork. The blanks intended toform the prongs are pressed into suitable shape and simultaneously bentwhile the blank intended to form the rear portion of the pitchfork isrolled up at its narrow end into a socket for the re ception of thehandle, the opposite broader end of the same being pressed into crosssections similar to those of the prongs intended to be connected withthis end of the blank. Finally the prongs are connected to the rearportion of the pitchfork in some suitable manner for instance byriveting, screwing, soldering or welding.

During the pressing operation the rear portion of the pitchfork can beprovided with pressed in longitudinal ribs for stiffening the said rearpart. The latter can also be provided with cut out gaps for the purposeof reducing the weight of the pitchfork.

The accompanying drawings show the separate parts of a pitchfork in thevarious phases of their manufacture and the finished pitch fork in twofolms of execution by way of examples.

Figure 1 shows one of the stamped metal plates intended for themanufacture of the prongs. Fig. 2 shows a plan of the pressed prong,Fig. 3 a side elevation of the pressed and bent prong. Fig. 4: is theseparate stamped metal-plate intended to form the rearportion of thepitchfork. Figs. 5 and 6 show a side elevation and a plan of a pitchforkcomposed of the said parts. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan of a structurewherein the stamped metal plate is provided with openings. Figs. 7 and 8also show a side elevation and a plan of a modified form of execution ofa pitchfork manufactured by the same method, the prongs beingrepresented broken off.

The method of manufacture of the improved pitchfork will be described inthe following paragraphs with reference to the drawings.

In the first place triangular metal strips a (Fig. 1) and the blank I)(Fig. 4) intended for the rear portion of the forkare stamped out ofmetal plates, preferably of steel plates of suitable thickness. In theblank I), if desired, gaps cl may be out out (as shown in Fig. 6*) thisoperation can be performed simultaneously with the stamping out of thecontours of the blank.

The metal strips a are now pressed by suitable devices so as to formangular grooves (Fig. 2) or into any other shape and are simultaneouslybent into the usual curved shape (Fig. 3). The plate 6 is rolled uponits narrow end into the shape of a socket appropriate to receive thehandle, while in the broader part of the plate 6 several groovedimpressions 0 (Fig. 6) are made having a cross-section similar to thatof the fork-prongs, the number of said impressions corresponding to thenumber of the prongs, for instance in the described form of executionthree such impressions are made. The prongs are then placed with theirbroader ends in the angular grooveshaped impressions e of the rearportion of the pitch fork and are rigidly connected with the latter inany suitable manner, for instance by rivets 0 (Figs. 5 and 6) by screws,by soldering or welding.

Simultaneously with the described operation or after it is finished ribsf may be pressed into the rear portion, such as are represented in theform of execution, Figs. 7 and 8. These Figs. 7 and 8 show also theconnection of the prongs a with the rear portion of the fork by means ofrivets 0. The ribs f have for purpose to strengthen or to stiffen thepitchfork.

The method presents the ad vantage of avoiding any Waste of material sothat no more material is employed than 'is absolutely necessary. This isdue to the circumstance that the improved pitch-fork is not made of onesingle piece, but of a separate stamped plate for the rear portion andof separate stamped metaLstrips for each prong. 'Claim.

A pitchfork consisting of a plurality of longitudinally grooved prongsmade from separate sheet metal pieces, a sheet metal rear portion alsomade from a separate iece and aving prong-receiving grooves o the 15same cross section as the prongs, and devices for fastening the rearportions of the prongs in the grooves.

.In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Wit- 20 nesses.

IGNAC SZALAI.

Witnesses:

J OSEF RU'BASCH, ROBERT W. HEINGARTNER.

